Christmas in the Cair
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: It's Christmas in the Cair! Ice fishing tournament, a ball, and...mistletoe mayhem! Will Cair Paravel ever be the same after this Christmas?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: It's Christmas in the Cair! Ice fishing tournament, a ball, and...mistletoe mayhem! Will Cair Paravel ever be the same after this Christmas?

A/N: Pure Christmas fluff piece. Hope you enjoy it! This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe but can be read as a standalone.

**Christmas Eve: Ice Fishing Tournament**

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24 Yule 1006

I yawned a little as I tossed aside my covers then stood and stretched. It was a Christmas miracle just that I was here in the Cair and able to do anything at all. We cut it close on the Winter Solstice and I knew I wasn't going to forget any of the lessons I had learned from it. There was one big lesson Edmund and I had learned that we needed to talk to Susan and Lucy about, but it would hold until after Christmas. I smiled, ignoring the twinge from my bruised and somewhat swollen cheek as I did so. I turned and, grabbing my pillow, I threw it at the sleeping bundle of covers that was my little brother. "Oy! Wake up, Ed! You're going to make us late!"

Edmund jerked awake with growling hiss of a snarl. He looked at me, his black hair sticking up in wild tufts, and hissed, "Why are you up? The sun isn't even up yet. Go back to bed, Peter, you great lummox brain. And don't get up until it's an hour when sane people get up." He grumpily yanked the covers over his head and flopped back down.

I snickered, "Because, good my brother, we have an ice fishing tournament to attend, remember? Now get up and dress warmly. It's a mite chilly outside."

Edmund growled something unintelligible. Then I yanked the covers off him. He sat up and hissed, "Peter! We just got off a mountain in a blizzard and spent two days and nights coming home after we fought off Hags and Werewolves with too few soldiers. Why do you want to go sit on a river in the freezing cold when you know you're not going to catch anything anyway?"

I ignored Edmund's jab about my fishing triumphs...or lack thereof...and unceremoniously pulled him out of the bed and began rummaging through his wardrobe, searching for his warmest tunic and leggings and for his heaviest cloak and boots. "We're going because we have to put in an appearance anyway and this will reassure the people that all four of us are here in the Cair."

"Peter, you know we have banners that do that, right?" Our valets bustled into the room just as I waved Edmund's question off. I happily surrendered to the well-meaning, if slightly neurotic, fussing as our valets made sure both Edmund and I were dressed in our warmest and finest for Edmund, I was dressed in my third-finest according to Silvo since he knew I would be participating in the ice fishing tournament. Once our valets finally ceased fussing and adjusted our crowns for the last time, I dragged Edmund behind me as I ran through the halls. We were already a little late.

We still managed to be slightly late, prompting Susan to roll her eyes at us when we finally reached the open pavilion that had been raised along with several others to provide the observers of the ice fishing tournament with some shelter from the elements. Edmund grumbled under his breath until Lucy shoved a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of hot toast into his hands and forced him to take a seat. I cheerfully accepted the fishing pole from an eager Tarrin who was standing next to his younger siblings, Raisa having a tight grip on both Thane and Shane's cloaks to keep them from running out onto the ice. I nodded and waved in response to the cheerful calls of 'Good morn' and 'Merry Christmas' as I walked out to one of the unoccupied fishing holes. The rules of the tournament were simple enough: Everyone received his or her own hole, we fished for six hours, and then the judges, one of whom was Edmund, took the tally and whoever caught the most fish would be the winner of this year's Christmas Eve ice fishing tournament.

Of course, as unpleasant as Edmund can be in the morn, he was correct that I never caught any fish during the tournament. But, that was going to change this year. For one thing, I didn't have Edmund squirming around because he's unable to sit still long enough to keep from scaring off the fish. And, for another, well, I just felt like I would catch some fish today. It was about time, after all.

An hour passed then two, and nary a bite. I had a feeling the fish was just stealing the bait right off my hook before swimming to be caught by one of the other fishermen. At least, I wasn't having to deal with Leopard cubs yanking my fishing pole out of my hands, Kittens tangling themselves in the fishing line, Raccoon kits pulling on my hair and the fishing line, or my bored little brother throwing whatever was handy at my head and back. I cast my line back into the pool ignoring the way my rear felt like it was in danger of freezing to the river ice and pretending I was fishing at my favorite fishing hole in the middle of summer...alone. A sudden shout of glee sounded not far behind me. I twisted around to see Thane and Shane slipping and sliding their way across the ice. I gasped when one of them, still can't tell them apart when they're dressed alike, slipped and skidded perilously close to the edge of one of the fishing holes. Fortunately, the boy righted himself and chased after his brother without dipping so much as a toe into the freezing water. They spotted me and tried to make a beeline for me, but then thank Aslan the one person they apparently loved to listen to slid in front of them. I couldn't hear what Kat said to them, but the next moment both twins had their hands wrapped around her wrists as she walked back to the shore and their frantic older siblings.

I watched Thane and Shane giggling as Kat pulled them along so they were sliding as she walked, and then I felt a tug on my fishing line. I whipped back around and gave a quick jerk to set the hook in the fish's mouth before I started pulling it in. I stood and grabbed the line and yanked. And there, wriggling and flopping in the air was a good six-pounder trout. I grinned proudly as I carefully unhooked the trout and placed him in the catch bucket so he wouldn't flop back into the hole. Over the remaining hours, I was quite pleased to catch three more trout, all between six to eight pounds, and two pavender, each one was twelve pounds. Of course, with only six fish, I didn't even place fifth in the tournament. An Otter named Sid won first place with his forty-seven fish. Combining everyone's catch, the ice fishing tournament yielded a total of two hundred and thirty-nine fish, which would be collected, packed in ice, and then taken to those families who didn't quite have enough food to make it through the winter without things being lean.

I grinned at Edmund and Tarrin as they tromped through the snow to join me, "And, you thought I wouldn't catch anything at all."

Edmund made a face, "When you come in dead last for only the sixth year in a row, Peter, you might as well as caught nothing."

Tarrin chuckled and nodded, "You do need to work on your results, King Peter."

I gave them both a mock glare, "My results are perfectly respectable, brother mine."

Edmund and Tarrin exchanged a skeptical glance before Edmund patted me on the shoulder, "Of course, Peter, just keep telling yourself that and maybe, someday in the distant future, it will come true."

He ducked immediately as I pretended to swipe at him. Tarrin and Edmund continued heckling me about my fishing abilities as we trooped back toward the Cair. I rolled my eyes as I listened, but looking over to my left, I noticed Kat had distracted the twins by taking them to build snowmen from the edge of the pavilions at the river all the way to just outside the gates of Cair Paravel. Thane and Shane were probably inside by now, but I could see Kat off in the distance running around throwing snowballs at someone...it was Oreius, who wasn't hesitating in the least to return the favor. It would have been more remarkable if I hadn't heard Kat wring a promise of one round of snowballs out of Oreius the night before we actually made it back to the Cair. I grinned at the sight, briefly wondering if Kat was actually going to come to the ball being held tomorrow night, before Edmund mentioned a so-called fact about my fishing that needed to be corrected. "I did not yelp like a little girl after a pavender slapped me in the face with its tail! That never happened!"

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, this is set for the Christmas immediately after Concealed, but it doesn't really give anything away other than I didn't kill my main characters. Next chapter: Christmas Day: A Ball and Mistletoe Madness shall be up either tonight or tomorrow. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one and please include which couples, official and unofficial, you would like to see caught in the mistletoe madness.**

**A/N2: Happy Christmas Eve and have a very Merry Christmas!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: It's Christmas in the Cair! Ice fishing tournament, a ball, and...mistletoe mayhem! Will Cair Paravel ever be the same after this Christmas?

A/N: Pure Christmas fluff piece. Hope you enjoy it! This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe but can be read as a standalone.

**Christmas Day: A Ball and Mistletoe Mayhem**

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25 Yule 1006

I sighed as I leaned against the doorframe and watched Tuulea bustling around my bedroom. "I never actually said I would go tonight, Tuulea. I told Lucy I would think about it, nothing more."

Tuulea waved her hand distractedly, "Nonsense, Child, you haven't been to a single Christmas ball since you came back to us. It is time."

I looked over at where Stonebrook was standing just in front of the doors (to keep me from making a run for it...because all three of us knew I would ) going over a scroll he had brought with him. He looked up and his grey eyes laughed at me from over the top of his reading spectacles, "I'm afraid, little one, Tuulea is correct. It is time you fully participate in all of the Christmas festivities."

I opened my mouth to politely sass my elder (yes, it is possible and yes I know exactly how to do it) when Tuulea grabbed my wrist and yanked me into my bedroom (she's a lot stronger than you would think due to her small size), promptly trapping me as I heard Stonebrook's poorly muffled laugh on the other side of the now closed door. Tuulea looked at me with a determined glint in her eye (never a good sign...just ask her sons) as she spoke in a very determined tone. "Now, Alambiel, let me help you into the dress and then I will do something special with your hair. Oh don't make that face, Child. You'll look lovely." I could just hear the "or else" Tuulea of course would never voice aloud.

It didn't take long for Tuulea to finish lacing me into my dress and then she shoved me in front of the mirror. Good grief, when Tuulea wanted someone to appreciate her work, she let you know it! I turned to completely face the mirror and had to pause a moment as I took in the magnificent dress, a dark blue silky velvet affair with an elaborate silver embroidered pattern of leaves and flowers across the top of the bodice with simple sleeves and overskirt that split, forming a wide triangle that allowed the embroidered underskirt to be seen. The same elaborate pattern as was on the bodice curled up the front of the underskirt from the border along the bottom to just below my knees. The sleeves were just long enough to fall to the base of my thumbs, almost covering the scars on my hands. My eyes widened as I turned slightly and realized the dress was cut to rest just off my shoulders, which meant I couldn't wear my hair up without the topmost parts of the scars on my back being blatantly visible (I usually tried to avoid that because it caused more awkward moments than just my personality alone). I looked at Tuulea and sighed, "You are very good."

She beamed as she pretended not to understand my double meaning (best sort of black mail was to simply force a person into a situation where they have no choice but to comply with what you want them to do...Tuulea wanted me to wear my hair more down than up). "I wish you had worn this gown and the others like it before now. You look lovely. Now let's take care of your hair." By the end of it, I had a very elegant yet subtle hairstyle (normally that would mean I had an elaborately braided and twisted chignon, but not this time). Except for several soft white and blonde curls framing my face, my hair was pulled back, braided and twisted until, upon reaching the back of my head, it fell in loose waves to just below my shoulder blades, effectively covering the two or so inches of my shoulders that had been showing. Tuulea would have been happier if I'd let my hair even further down, but she would take anything I agreed to, so I was safe...until the next time. She smiled in delight then opened the door to my parlor where Stonebrook was still waiting. He looked me over then nodded his approval, but Tuulea didn't even give him time to say anything as she herded us both out into the hall, "Come now! We don't want to be late."

Upon reaching the Great Hall, I had to pause and allow Tuulea and Stonebrook to pass me as I took in the sight of all the decorations (Susan and her decorating army had outdone themselves)...and the sheer number of people. Oh no. There were even more people here than I had guessed there would be. I took a breath and then a half-step back before Deianeira appeared and looped her arm through mine, pulling me into the huge room that now felt tiny to me. "Katerina! There you are, oh Tuulea wasn't exaggerating when she said you looked beautiful. Come we must join the others." There were times when I was grateful that having Tuulea and Stonebrook as the closest thing I had to parents/grandparents meant their sons and now their daughters-in-law saw me as a little sister and friend. This was not one of them. Deianeira knew perfectly well that I had been trying to escape unnoticed...and now I was being noticed.

Deianeira pulled me into the small knot of Centaurs and Nymphs then abandoned me to sidle up next to Silverstone and slip her hand into her husband's. The lovebirds had officially been married a year as of two days ago. The music started up again to a merry tune and the women quickly pulled their escorts with them to the middle of the room. I slipped away before anyone could ask me to dance (I was still too tense to make dancing a good idea) and grabbed a drink then meandered over to stand by one of the columns. I watched in amusement as the Four would share dances with each other, Lucy dragging Edmund rather forcefully into a very bouncy, skipping jig and then Peter and Susan dancing by gracefully in a waltz. Then they switched and Edmund waltzed with Susan while Peter danced enthusiastically with Lucy until he picked her up and swung her in a wide circle, making her giggle as if she was still a little girl instead of being fourteen (of course it never took much for that to happen), to the delighted amusement of everyone watching.

Later on, I noticed Sir Rupert dancing with Susan before he danced with Lady Felicia Fox. He was more than a little smitten with the pretty Vixen, so I wasn't the least bit surprised when they became one of the couples to stop under the five sprigs of mistletoe hanging overhead. An obnoxious laugh distracted me just as a tall pale woman in a leafy green sleeveless dress reached my side. She brushed her curly brown hair out of her eyes and grimaced, "I fear Cassius is trying to catch as many unattached women as possible under the mistletoe again this year, Katerina."

Titania the Willow Dryad was one of Narnia's most gifted story weavers, and in the wake of Peridan's twin sons and their constant demand for a story, we oft collaborated to at least make sure we knew which stories had been told with what characters by whom. Thane and Shane might have been six, but that was plenty old enough for them to notice they were being told the same story. I nodded my thanks and then we immediately threaded our separate ways through the crowd. I spotted Oreius two knots of people over from where I was and decided to make my way toward him. Of course, I was pulled into a dance by Peter before I could make it, and it was one where partners are changed multiple times so the next person I danced with was Peridan. He and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, which had caused issues earlier in the year, but we could and did cooperate with each other when necessary. We gave each other cordial smiles as we parted at the appointed part of the dance.

Unfortunately, for me, after Peridan, I had to dance with...Cassius. The Faun looked like he was already well on his way to drinking himself into a stupor when he grinned as he realized he was dancing with me. It was the end of the dance and there wouldn't be any other partners. I glanced up and felt more than a hint of dismay when I noticed that the number of mistletoe sprigs hanging overhead had grown so it was now twelve or so spots where you could get stuck under the mistletoe. And, worse, Cassius was leading us right toward one of them... There are no telepaths in Narnia, but that didn't stop me from wishing the lead musician would end the song. _Please no more playing! End the song. End the song. End the song. End the song. End it before I get stuck under the mistletoe with this menace of a clueless wannabe of a Casanova! _

Right before we would have stopped under the mistletoe, the song ended and (to Cassius' disappointment and my relief) I was able to step back immediately from him. A sudden laugh sounded and I turned to see Tarrin and Lucy standing under the mistletoe across from us and then right beside us was Edmund and Raisa. They looked up then looked at each other and started blushing. Tarrin and Lucy leaned in and gave each other a quick peck on the lips. Lucy looked delighted and slightly pink while Tarrin ducked his head, hiding his brilliantly red face, and disappeared into the crowd amidst cheers of approval. Edmund and Raisa...were not so fortunate. Edmund cleared his throat then leaned down and kissed Raisa on the cheek, clearly hoping to satisfy the rules of mistletoe with that little trick. Too bad it only worked when it was family or when you got stuck with someone who was already engaged/married, otherwise kissing on the cheek was not allowed. The crowd immediately voiced its opinion as someone yelled, "Give her a proper kiss!" And then others began shouting the demand as well until both Edmund and Raisa were blushing as Edmund leaned down and chastely kissed Raisa on the lips, which caused a huge round of cheers and laughter.

As another dance started up, I finally made my way to stand next to Oreius, who looked at me and then his gaze shifted to the dance before abruptly returning to me. I nearly burst out laughing at the fact I had just caused Oreius to do a double take (well, that was fun, at least he couldn't yell at me after this double take...unlike the other times he had done double takes when I had been standing guiltily surrounded by pranks gone wrong). But, I was good and just smiled at him, "Merry Christmas, Oreius."

He looked at me, and then smiled, "Merry Christmas, Alambiel. I- I didn't expect to see you here tonight."

I laughed softly, "Tuulea said I was coming whether I wanted to or not. Apparently, I'm only allowed to miss four Christmas balls. And, since this was the Christmas ball, I had to dress up a lot more than I usually do."

Oreius' gaze flickered over me, "You look very...nice." Now why did I feel slightly disappointed at being called 'nice'? Good grief, I think the fanciness has gone to my head. A flicker of emotion appeared in Oreius' eyes for a brief moment but it vanished before I could identify it as we heard the music die and we turned to see Peridan was dipping Marsalla as he kissed her. When they straightened, Marsalla was pink, breathless, and obviously happy while Peridan just looked smug. Men. Then, the hoots really started as we all noticed that the mistletoe had once again increased and Peter had been caught under it with his dance partner, a very pretty young Beech Nymph named Thalia, in addition to Susan and her dance partner, Andreus the son of one of the Wood gods. Andreus and Susan kissed each other rather sweetly to the cheers of the crowd (when mistletoe mayhem was involved, Narnians were always enthusiastic audiences). Then Peter gave Thalia a chaste and honorable kiss, but what really made the crowd hoot was when Peter looked Thalia in the eyes and then took her hand and placed an additional kiss on the back of her hand, all the while never looking away from her eyes. I titled my head as I realized nineteen-year-old High King Peter just might be feeling the bite of Cupid's arrow. How interesting.

Then the music started for another dance and I saw Cassius very determinedly swaying his way toward me. Oh no, not him again! Oreius must have seen my expression change for a moment and followed my gaze, because the next thing I knew he held his hand out to me and asked, "Would you like to dance, Katerina Alambiel?"

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I stood there holding my hand out to Katerina Alambiel, who looked back at Cassius then she looked at me and smiled slightly as she placed her hand in mine. I led her out to join the other couples, steadfastly ignoring how Tuulea was smiling as widely as she had at Silverstone and Deianeira's wedding. I noticed with slight amusement that several Raccoon kits and their older siblings were racing along the garlands overhead and adding mistletoe sprigs wherever they could, but I doubted they could cover the entire area before the dance ended. I looked back down and met Katerina Alambiel's gaze as we started dancing. I quickly decided to remedy an error on my part in our earlier conversation. "Alambiel, I'm afraid I misspoke during our earlier conversation."

She raised an eyebrow, "How?"

I took a breath then carefully kept my tone light as I replied, "I didn't mean to say you looked very nice tonight. I meant to say that you looked lovely tonight."

She smiled and I found myself returning the smile as we reached the faster portion of the dance and we began the first spin. Her hair fanned out behind her as I turned her with me, and then I twirled her on an impulse. She laughed in sheer delight and I couldn't keep from grinning at making her laugh. I could tell that she had completely forgotten about our audience as she let me twirl her again and then we crossed our wrists to clasp hands, left in left and right in right, and spun in a circle. This was the most fun I had had in several years and when Alambiel laughed again...I joined in with my own laugh.

When the dance finally ended, I admit that I was too preoccupied watching Alambiel's eyes dance with mirth to realize where we had stopped until someone shouted, "Give her a kiss, Oreius!" I was going to strangle Ardon during our next sparring match.

Alambiel looked up and I followed her gaze to see that the Raccoons had been industrious since the entire space above the dance area was now covered in mistletoe. I looked back down at her. I would disregard tradition if she asked me to let her slip away without demanding that obligated kiss; no matter the heckling I would receive from Ardon and others. She barely shrugged one shoulder and looked up at me with eyes full of trust that I would do nothing to hurt her, "Well, tradition is tradition, Kentauri."

I ignored the sense that my immediate actions could change everything I knew and possibly more. Instead, I gently tilted Alambiel's chin up and, leaning down, I kissed her. I intended to keep the kiss brief more of a peck than anything, but a half a moment after our lips brushed, Alambiel responded. She leaned into the kiss slightly and in my surprise and the pleasure of the moment, I allowed that kiss to last longer than I had originally intended. Our audience cheered...I straightened feeling slightly frustrated that I hadn't been allowed to keep kissing her. I looked down at her, wondering if I had scared her, fearing I had unintentionally damaged our friendship, and...hoping she had enjoyed it as much as I had. Her blue eyes were wider than they had been and a blush was beginning to spread as she stepped back. The ball was winding down anyway, so few noticed that when Alambiel stepped back and then slipped away from me through the crowd, I was still standing there watching her until I caught a glimpse of the back of her dress disappearing around the corner of the doors leaving the Great Hall. I finally gave in to what had been haunting me since Anvard. Though, truthfully, I had been denying these thoughts...these feelings since at least last summer. I needed to talk to her. I could not deny it any longer. I cared too much for Katerina Alambiel to ever be able to call her just a friend again.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Let's see what can I say? Merry Christmas KnockOut supporters! ;) Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one and also let me know if you want to see what happens next in this story or wait until the end of Concealed for it to happen?**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: It's Christmas in the Cair! Ice fishing tournament, a ball, and...mistletoe mayhem! Will Cair Paravel ever be the same after this Christmas?

A/N: Pure Christmas fluff piece. Hope you enjoy it! This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe but can be read as a standalone.

**Christmas Day: A Ball and Mistletoe Mayhem: Epilogue**

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I couldn't get back to my quarters fast enough (especially since I couldn't actually run without causing undue alarm). My face felt like it was on fire...in fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if smoke started coming off me and I hardly ever blush. I finally reached my quarters and this time I actually locked the doors. This was not the time for any late night visitors, not unless someone was dying. I walked into my bedroom, closed the door, and leaned against it as I tried to order my thoughts (there had to be some order in there somewhere). That kiss...

I suddenly realized I was touching my lips and jerked my hand away. I was not the kind of woman to go all giddy and moon-eyed over a kiss. I wasn't! I forced the memory of the kiss aside with a lot more effort than it should have merited. It was just a mistletoe kiss after all, and mistletoe kisses are not supposed to mean anything special. Unfortunately, my little mental lecture apparently crawled into a hole when a shiver ran down my spine as I recalled just how different that kiss had been... Ugh! I couldn't be thinking such things!

Clearly I needed something harder to ignore in order to keep my mind from drifting all willy-nilly instead of staying where I put it, which was not on a mistletoe kiss. Yeah, that was convincing. I threw open the doors to the balcony and stepped outside, welcoming the cold winter air (thank Aslan that I inherited at least some of the resilience to the elements Centaurs possess). Narnia was blanketed in snow, and because my rooms faced the northeast the Eastern Sea was also in view...of course, it was so late that I could only tell where the sea was by looking at where the snow ended. It was just what I needed to take my mind off the mistletoe kiss...until I noticed Oreius standing on the bluff overlooking the sea. Knowing him, he was probably searching the stars.

The wind picked up just as Oreius looked back at the Cair and I shivered. Even though it was just a mistletoe kiss, I had to admit that was an excellent first kiss. I shivered again and, giving up on attempting to be more resilient than the wind when I didn't have to, I retreated back into my bedroom. Stopping in front of my dressing table, I shook my head at my reflection, "Do not give more significance to a _tradition_ than it deserves. It was a Christmas tradition, no more, no less. And, you are not going to risk ruining your friendship by giving too much weight to a silly mistletoe kiss." As I began undoing the many braids and twists in my hair, I silently promised myself that I would not venture down that dangerous road of developing a crush on my closest friend...I just couldn't risk it.

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I frowned a little as I watched Katerina Alambiel disappear into her rooms and then I heard the distinct sound of the lock being thrown. I had planned to speak with her but it seemed better to wait...at least until tomorrow. Hiding my disappointment at not being able to address the matter immediately, I chose to head outside and study the stars. Passing one of the solariums, I noticed the High King was in there with none other than the Beech Nymph Thalia...and they were holding hands as King Peter spoke in a low, fervent voice. Leaving them to their privacy, I couldn't help but be amused that I now knew the secret the High King had been desperately trying to hide from his younger brother a scant nine days earlier.

Trotting to the bluff that overlooked the Eastern Sea, I looked up at the stars shining brightly in the winter sky. But, I couldn't focus on reading them. Alambiel had definitely returned the kiss. However, the way she had nearly fled the Great Hall once again raised the doubt, the fear, that if I mentioned the kiss and my own changing feelings for her, it would tear apart our friendship. I looked back at the Cair and noticed Alambiel on her balcony, but she retreated back inside only a few moments later. I pawed the snowy ground with my hoof then looked up at the stars again. I couldn't risk simply coming out with the fact that I could never again see her as only my friend, there would be too much at stake if I spoke and she did not feel the same way. I wouldn't cause Alambiel hurt if I could avoid it. What I needed to do was to wait and see if she gave me some sort of hint that she might be amenable to changing our relationship. And, if she did not, I would never speak of it. I silently prayed that an opportunity would soon present itself for me to speak with her...and that until then I would not inadvertently hurt her by giving anything away too soon.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Leave a review and do let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


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